A shout instantly went up all round; even Mr. Hardcastle himself was overcome with the ludicrousness of the mistake, and further solemnity being impossible, a signal was given, and from a barge far out on the water a score of rockets shot hissing into the air, announcing the beginning of fireworks.  A brilliant display of these followed, closing the evening’s entertainment, and immediately afterward a large raft was towed up to the landing, and the whole merry party embarked and returned to Joppa together, the band following on another boat and treating them to music all the way.  Halloway stood near Gerald in the crowd, but he did not attempt to join her until the raft reached the pier and was made fast.  Then he quietly went to her and offered his arm.  De Forest stepped up at the same moment.  “Miss Vernor, will you condescend to accept of my valuable escort home?”

“I beg your pardon,” interrupted Denham, “I am Miss Vernor’s escort to-night.”

De Forest stood still.  “I did not know it was a return-ticket arrangement.”

“It was,” answered Denham, decidedly.  “You can hardly expect me to relinquish my rights.”

“I should say your rights depended wholly on Miss Vernor’s choice.  Fair lady, two hearts and four arms are at your immediate disposal.  If you could make up your volatile mind to determine between them—­”

“There can be no question of choice,” said Gerald, quietly.  “I accepted Mr. Halloway’s escort yesterday; so good-night.”

“You leave me a blighted being,” said De Forest.  “For the peace of my soul, let me ascribe your decision to a love of justice rather than of individual. Au revoir.”

Halloway drew Gerald’s hand through his arm with a very comfortable feeling of possession, and they walked on some time in silence.  “Are you tired?” he asked at last.

“No—­yes.  Parties always tire me, and life in Joppa consists of parties.  Do you always go?”

“Oh, always!”

“Your mental constitution must be robust to stand such a steady strain upon it.”

“The shepherd must keep by his sheep, you know,” laughed Denham.

“I thought the shepherd was to lead the sheep, not to be led by them.  Don’t you hope to inspire them with a love for better things?  I fancied the province of a clergyman was to improve people—­not just to preach to them.”

A shadow crossed Denham’s face.  “There are many of them more fitted to improve me than I them,” he said, humbly.  “How would you have me begin?”

“With making Mr. Hardcastle less offensively pompous, and Mrs. Hardcastle less tedious, and Mrs. Upjohn less dogmatic, and Mrs. Anthony more sincere, and Miss Delano less namby-pamby,—­in short, by taking a little of the superficiality and narrow-mindedness and provinciality out of the place if possible.”

Denham tossed back his head with a light laugh.  “Ah, how you relieve my mind!  Most of those whom you have so scathingly described belong to other congregations, and are therefore beyond my jurisdiction.”